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The number of new homes starts last month fell, but a rise in future home-construction plans gave economists hope that the housing market has stabilized. Meanwhile, the number of new students taking the law-school entrance exam dropped to the lowest level in 12 years. Also on the show, China announced a major increase in gas prices, a reported delay in cleaner fuels could harm the new engines designed to burn it, and an oil spill off the coast of Brazil last November is the subject of a lawsuit this week. Plus, our interview with the author of a story that makes comparisons between Mitt Romney's GOP campaign and that of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a conference call today that the company would start spending down its nearly $100-billion pile of cash with a $10 billion share buyback and a quarterly stock dividend of $2.65 a share. We talk to Henry Blodget, CEO of Business Insider, for more on this story. Shipping giant United Parcels Service said it would pay $6.8 billion for Dutch shipping rival TNT Express in effort to expand its global reach. Plus, Ireland struggles with 14 percent unemployment, Greece's prime minister said the company is on its way to a recovery, and Yahoo! fends off an aggressive investor.

Forty states have signed onto a settlement deal with the nation's largest banks over abusive foreclosure practices. We talk to the attorney general from the hold-out state of Delaware to find out why he wants a better deal. Congress passed a bill to fund technology upgrades for the FAA, but airline industry unions are balking at the deal. And Puerto Rico looks to ease its overpopulation of invasive iguanas by exporting them as "exotic meat." Plus, more headlines from this Tuesday morning.

Weekend talks in Europe over a second bailout plan for Greece stumbled just as leaders in that country made progress on a deal to eliminate about half of the private debt it owes. Meanwhile, a bailout might be on the way for troubled homeowners if states sign onto a settlement with the nation's largest banks over abusive foreclosure practices. The New York Giants won the Super Bowl, and so did Madonna and her half-time performance. But Ford said it didn't after Chevy ran a commercial claiming its chief competitor's pick-ups couldn't survive the apocalypse. At least that means the auto industry is recovering, right?

Research In Motion gets a new CEO, but will he find a future for BlackBerry in an era of touch screens and not keyboards? Cocoa prices are down and a lack of demand. Solar energy gets a cloudy forecast, and guitar makers question wood import laws. Plus, an economic forecast for this first day of the Chinese New Year.

Today was a day of new directions for Internet giant Yahoo!, which named a new CEO. And President Obama is expected to appoint a new top cop for protecting consumers. Meanwhile today, the low-calorie, natural sweetener Stevia got the green light to be sold in Europe; Italy said it will allow 24-hour businesses; U.S. car sales look good in 2012; and more headlines from the GOP campaign trail.

In today's Marketplace Morning Report, we take a look at why oil prices have risen so much in the last month. The threat of European contagion is pressing as bonds are quickly being sold off. And the NBA season, if totally cancelled, could have bad effects on the TV business.

Here are today's top headlines from the Marketplace Morning Report: German Chancellor Angela Merkel is calling for a stronger political union in Europe to tackle its debt problems. Japan's economy grew at 6 percent last quarter. The Supreme Court will hear will hear arguments over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, and more headlines from around the web.